The present disclosure relates to wall décor. More particularly, it relates to kits, systems and methods for flexibly mounting multiple decorative elements to a wall.
Conventional wall décor has a plethora of forms. For example, a dwelling's wall(s) can be partially or entirely finished with paint or wallpaper. While the types, styles and end appearances of these wall finishing techniques are nearly endless, a significant amount of time and skill is required to prepare the wall surface and apply the particular finish. Further, the finish is effectively permanent, requiring extensive efforts to remove or replace.
Alternatively (or in addition), various decorative articles, such as artwork, photographs, mirrors, moldings, etc., can be directly fastened to the wall. Typically, one or more mechanical fasteners (e.g., nails, screws or hooks) are secured to the wall and used to support the article. While installation of a decorative article is less time-consuming than painting or applying wall paper, time and skill must be invested to ensure that the mechanical fastener is optimally located along the wall surface. The mechanical fastener permanently damages the wall and cannot easily be repositioned.
More recently, adhesive-based fastening systems have been developed as an alternative to mechanical fasteners. In general terms, these fastening systems are packaged and provided as a pair of pre-cut, adhesive-backed strips. The first strip carries a plurality of hooks (or similar structures), and the second strip carries a plurality of complementary loops. The user must adhere a first one of the two strips to the decorative article, and adhere the second strip to the wall. The article is then supported relative to the wall via engagement between the hooks and loops. A relationship of the decorative article/first strip relative to the wall/second strip can be slightly altered by disconnecting and then reconnecting the hooks and loops, or by a minor rotation of the decorative article/first strip relative to the wall/second strip (without separating the hooks and loops). Further, when complete removal of the decorative article from the wall is desired, the strips can be de-bonded from the decorative article and the wall surface, respectively. Manufacturers of these adhesive-based fastening systems strive to minimize costs while providing an end product that can support a wide variety (and thus sizes and weights) of decorative articles of possible interest to users. This balance is normally achieved by forming the strip pairs to be relatively small (and thus less expensive) but exhibiting relatively high adhesive strength and holding power. With relatively the small surface areas provided by these strips, however, certain drawbacks may arise.
For example, the adhesive utilized with the strips must have a high adhesive strength so that the strips do not delaminate from the corresponding decorative article or wall surface under the weight of the decorative article. This requirement, in turn, requires an aggressive adhesive. While, in theory, the adhesive is formulated to facilitate desired removal of the strip from the wall (or the article) without damaging the wall surface, in some instances the particular wall surface will have a relatively unique finishing that is, in fact, damaged during removal of the aggressive adhesive.
Along these same lines, releasable fastening technology employed by the packaged hook-and-loop adhesive strip pairs must be constructed to account for the possibility that a user may attempt to hang a relatively heavy (and/or large) object. Thus, the hook-and-loop format is conventionally selected to have as high a holding power as possible. In this regard, the holding power provided by a particular format is directly related to a size of the strips themselves. The packaged strip pairs are commonly provided in a specific, relatively small size (e.g., the first strip (hooks) is 1 inch×3 inches, and the second strip (loops) is 1.75 inches×4 inches). While existing hook-and-loop technologies generate a high level of engagement with relatively small surface area strips, a balance with the holding power of the adhesive is required. Because a user expects to be able to reposition the article relative to the wall after initial mounting, the user must be able to easily separate the decorative article/first strip from the wall/second strip. If the holding power of the hook-and-loop fastening system is greater than that of the adhesive, a user applying a pulling force onto the decorative article in an attempt to remove the article from the wall may instead cause the adhesive on one (or both) of the strips to de-bond from the corresponding decorative article or wall surface. Further, releasable fastening systems with elevated holding power may be difficult for some users (e.g., children) to separate.
While packaged, adhesive-based fastening systems are highly popular and have greatly simplified (and made more convenient) the application of a decorative article to a wall, drawbacks remain. Users are overtly limited by the size (and corresponding performance attributes) of the strips. Only a finite number object and wall surface types are amenable to successful mounting using the fastening strips. Further, the fastening systems are specifically designed to mount the article essentially against the wall surface; this limitation inherently stifles the creativity of a user desiring to create space or depth between the article and the wall surface.
In light of the above, a need exists for improved wall decoration systems and methods that facilitate rapid mounting, reposition, and removal of a decorative article.